Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan ousted in a no-confidence vote in parliament
- The combined opposition will form the new government, with the head of one of the largest parties, the Pakistani Muslim League, taking over as prime minister
- Anticipating his loss, Khan, who charged his opposition colluded with the US to unseat him, has called on his supporters to stage rallies nationwide on Sunday
Pakistan’s political opposition ousted the country’s embattled prime minister in a no-confidence vote on Saturday, which they won after several of Imran Khan’s allies and a key coalition party deserted him.
The combined opposition that spans the political spectrum from the left to the radically religious will form the new government, with the head of one of the largest parties, the Pakistani Muslim League, taking over as prime minister.
Anticipating his loss, Khan, who charged his opposition colluded with the United States to unseat him, has called on his supporters to stage rallies nationwide on Sunday. Khan’s options are limited and should he see a big turnout in his support, he may try to keep the momentum of street protests as a way to pressure parliament to hold early elections.
Khan earlier had tried to sidestep the vote by dissolving parliament and calling early elections but a Supreme Court ruling ordered the vote to go ahead.
The Pakistani parliament’s lower house will meet on Monday to vote for a new prime minister, the acting speaker said.
Ayaz Sadiq, presiding over the assembly session in the absence of the ruling party members and its designated speakers, said nomination papers for candidates should be filed by 11am local time on Sunday.
In an impassioned speech on Friday, Khan doubled down on his accusations that his opponents colluded with the United States to unseat him over his foreign policy choices, which often seemed to favour China and Russia and defied the US.
Khan said Washington opposed his February 24 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin hours after tanks rolled into Ukraine, launching a devastating war in the heart of Europe.
The US State Department has denied any involvement in Pakistan’s internal politics. Deputy State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters on Friday there was “absolutely no truth to these allegations.”
Pakistan vote on ousting PM Khan delayed
Still, Khan urged his supporters to take to the streets, particularly the youth who have been the backbone of his support since the former cricket star turned conservative Islamist politician came to power in 2018. He said they needed to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty and oppose US dictations.
“You have to come out to protect your own future. It is you who have to protect your democracy, your sovereignty and your independence. This is your duty,” he said. “I will not accept an imposed government.”
Khan’s options are limited and should he see a big turnout in support, he may try to keep the momentum of street protests as a way to pressure parliament to dissolve and go to early elections.
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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan dissolves parliament, calls for early election
The no-confidence vote loss for Khan may bring to power some unlikely partners.
Among them is a radically religious party that runs scores of religious schools. The Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam, or Assembly of Clerics, teaches a deeply conservative brand of Islam in its schools. Many of Afghanistan’s Taliban and Pakistan’s own home-grown violent Taliban graduated from JUI schools.
The largest among the opposition parties – the Pakistan People’s Party, led by the son of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and the Pakistan Muslim League – have been tainted by allegations of widespread corruption.
Pakistan Muslim League leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was convicted of corruption after being named in the Panama Papers. The papers are a collection of leaked secret financial documents showing how some of the world’s richest hide their money and involving a global law firm based in Panama. Sharif was disqualified by Pakistan’s Supreme Court from holding office.
If the opposition wins the no-confidence vote, it is up to parliament to choose a new head of government, which could be Sharif’s brother, Shahbaz Sharif. If the politicians are unsuccessful, early elections would be called.
“A new dawn has started ... This alliance will rebuild Pakistan,” Shahbaz Sharif said on Sunday.
